Pregnancy
Pregnancy related pelvic girdle pain.
This is something that affects some women and not others. Sometimes it seems quite random as to who gets it and who doesn’t. Pain is typically better when you are sitting, lying or still. Pain is worse with movement, say as you walk or just get up from bed or a chair.
The pain is centred anywhere from groins, back of the pelvis in the sacroiliac joints, right in the middle at the front. Sometimes the low back hurts too. Assessment will confirm whether your pain is actually pregnancy related pelvic girdle pain or just back pain or pelvic pain that anyone regardless of pregnancy might have.
We can help work out if a belt will help, offer hands on therapy to relieve pain and set you up with the right exercise for a comfortable pregnancy.
Pelvic floor rehab
Everyone who has delivered a baby deserves to know what to do to recover. Whether via vaginal birth or caesarean, whether no tears or large 3rd degree tears, whether large babies or forceps assistance. Whatever your delivery, you deserve to know how to get back to great pelvic floor health.
Management of abdominal diastasis. (DRAM) after childbirth.
Almost everyone will have a gap in the abdominal muscle. The issue is whether it recovers or whether it stays divided. Some people seem to recover naturally and others need guidance with a rehab program. There are lots of fears and worries about what you can and can’t do. During a session you will learn the right exercises to regain abdominal strength. You should feel safe to get back to your broader exercise programs.
Prolapse
Prolapse after childbirth
First of all, if you think you have some prolapse, don’t panic. Some laxity is normal after a pregnancy and delivery. The main thing is to understand what has happened and feel confident with exercise. Pessaries can be fitted to help you with your rehab if needed.
Post-natal assessment for return to exercise
Many women need guidance with safe return to exercise. We will make assessments of muscle function and give you a timeline for return safely to your preferred exercise. Or if needs be, how to modify until pelvic floor and abdominals have recovered.
Return to comfortable sex after a delivery
There can be anxiety around resumption of sexual activity. If you feel worried or anxious this in itself would be a reason to get help If sex is painful or uncomfortable it is always good to find out how to manage and never push through pain. Pain affects libido and arousal negatively. Pelvic floor muscles can quickly be tense and tight in an effort to prevent the pain.
Hypermobility
I have put this as a heading on its own. It is not traditionally an area of pelvic health physio. But over the years I have seen SO many women who have pelvic floor dysfunction linked to hypermobility. Why? The pelvic floor will have been working harder over years to support the pelvis leading to problems of increased tone pelvic floor. Often it is very subtle but can explain a multitude of insidious symptoms : these might be a sense of heaviness and yet there is no prolapse present, some discomfort with initial sexual penetration, difficulty strengthening the pelvic floor which is actually tense so can’t work effectively for you.
